Massacre Rocks State Park – American Falls, Idaho

View of campgrounds from hiking trail looking towards I-86

Massacre Rocks State Park sits right along I-86 in Idaho and is nestled into a canyon along the Snake River. Is is named after an Indian skirmish with two pioneer emigrant trains in 1862 and sits along the Oregon and California Trails. The State Park is easily accessible from the interstate and provides 2 campgrounds (upper and lower campgrounds), a Visitor Center, boat launch, Disc Golf, hiking trails, fishing, and canoe and kayak rentals. The upper campground provides great views down to the Snake River and the surrounding countryside and has plenty of big rig sites but is close to I-86 therefore there is traffic noise. The lower campground also provides terrific views but the noise is considerably less. We stayed in the lower loop and did not hear any traffic at all. We loved this place.

Sign for Massacre Rocks State Park

Entrance to State Park

Campground: Massacre Rocks State Park
Location: west of American Falls, Idaho just north of I-86
Site: 29 (back-in in the lower campground)
Cost: $38.92 (includes reservation fees and tax)
Services: W/E (30AMP)
Comments: We love this campground. Our site was very unique, had lots of privacy, and terrific views.

Site 29 – back in – a great site – very unique

Site 29

Site 29 – steps up to picnic area

Site 29 picnic area

Site 29

Site 29 – making breakfast

Site 29

Site 29 – campfire time

The lower campground has 2 cabins for rent intermixed with 21 campsites. The campsites were of various sizes and had both back-ins and pull-thrus.

Lower Campground Coyote Cabin parking area

Lower Campground Coyote Cabin as seen from trail

Lower Campground Site 25

Lower Campground Site 25 picnic area

Lower Campground – Site 31 – pull thru – one of the best sites in our opinion

Site 31 – steps to picnic area

Site 31 – picnic area

Lower Campground – Site 41

Lower Campground – Site 42

Idylic setting for a cabin

The upper campground also has 2 cabins along with 21 campsites with both back-ins and pull thrus. Both campgrounds were easy to get in and out of and easy to navigate even though they are tiered and set on the side of the hill.

Upper Campground – Site 17

View from Upper Campground

The state park offers multiple hiking trails, boat rentals, and disc golf all within range of the campground.

The North Pole

Trappers Trail viewpoint

River Trail

Disc Golf Holes 10-18

Disc Golf Holes 1- 9

Snake River

River Trail

Rock formations

Snake River with lower campground seen on the left

Sunflower

Kayaks and canoes for rent

Snake River

The Visitor Center has both indoor and outdoor exhibits and even offered a rattlesnake talk while we were there.

Visitor Center

Entrance to the Visitor Center

Interpretive signs outside the Visitor Center

More Interpretive signs outside the Visitor Center

Outside the Visitor Center

Rattlesnakes in the area

Western Great Basin rattlesnake

Kayakers enjoying the Snake River as seen from the Visitor Center

One of the hiking trails leads to old wagon ruts along the Oregon Trail/California Trail which were created from the emigrants in the 1800s.

Heading to the Wagon Ruts

Along The Wagon Rut Trail with the Snake River in the background

Along the trail

Snake River

Old Oregon Trail

Gray Rabbitbrush – Idaho Native of the sunflower family

The old wagon trail ruts

The Oregon Trail and the California Trail

Along the wagon rut trail

Snake River

About 2 miles from the state park entrance is the national historic site of Register Rock where many of the emigrants carved their names in the rock. It is now a protected by a shelter and a fence. It includes a day use area with picnic tables.